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Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Daylight Savings

Yesterday was my first daylight savings time riding opportunity! It was very frustrating. According to how yesterday went, I have some short term goals for this spring.

My plan was to jog/walk by hand Farley on the canal banks for ~30 minutes. She was a good girl, but circumstances were against us. We jogged down my normal canal route and very shortly met a HUGE dog. Loose. Running free. Looked like a chow mix. So I turned around. The gate was closed on the other canal bank route, but I went around it (it's my understanding that canal banks are public access?), only to meet another gate I couldn't get around. All together I got about 20 minutes in. She is still slightly uneven. You have to be watching for it, but it's there. Since she's still off, I'm going to give her another week off (hand walking only) and then try jogging her again (by hand - I don't have a dog, so it's nice to have a jogging partner!).

On to Minx. After my trials and tribulations with Farley and really didn't feel like riding on the canals, so I spent the first real riding day of the year....in the arena. Yes, really. It's been a week since I have ridden Minx so it probably was for the best. She tried some side-teleporting moves, and a slight rear, but then was good for a whole 15 minutes. We worked on bending, outside reining, halts and backing based on seat/legs instead of reins......I was planning on doing a short 20 minute ride at a walk, so it was really a shame she started being pissy 15 minutes into the ride (she's NOT an arena horse). So, I threw her into the round pen for 10 minutes. Then we worked on walking out of the round pen for 5 minutes (no, you CANNOT rush through, even if you are respecting my space!!!!!!!!!). ARRGGGGGHHHH!!!!! NOT how I wanted to spend my first riding day of the year!

And then I cleaned pens.

My goal everyday is to do something that will bring me one step closer to completing my first 100. It could mean improving my physical condition (going for a run etc.), or making good food choices. On the horse side, it could be as strenuous as trailering out and going for a hilly 20 mile LSD, or as simple as allowing Farley to recuperate, while engaging her brain (ground driving, obstacle courses etc.).

Short term goals:I'm hoping to have Minx ready for a 50 in 6-8 weeks. It's easier to get a horse in condition if they have been in excellent shape before. Minx raced as a 5 and 6 year old and so was in very good shape. Since that time we have been in "50 mile shape" twice. She's had ~7 months off, so any nagging little injuries should have had a chance to heal. I want this horse to have fun. She's so grumpy and pissy all the time. I'll alternate arena days and canal/trail days until she's more responsive. (This horse is going to kill me. Seriously. Someday I'll get around to posting her story and try to explain why I put up with her).

I'll give Farley as much time as she needs to heal. Once she's trotting 100% sound, I'll hand jog her for 2 weeks, followed by light riding for 1 week. Then we'll gradually return to normal conditioning. If her ultrasound is not favorable at the end of May, I'll give her the summer off (still ride, but no competitions) and see how she's feeling in the fall.

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About

Welcome to the Boots and Saddles blog. "Boots and saddles" describes a horse of(f) course - my experiences in the endurance world, as a veterinary student, and as a life long student of the horse. This blog is part of a larger endurance information site, which promotes renegade hoof boots and education for riders in their first 1000 endurance miles. I hope that you are entertained, informed, and inspired.

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Honoring perceptive reader's outstanding comments:

Funder: I swear, endurance is the sport of tying as much random crap on a dirty horse as possible, then riding til you chafe your thighs raw.
Elizabeth Funderburk: You're not tough just because you can destroy your body faster than everybody else around you. That is a ridiculously difficult thing for me to remember...You can be plenty tough without being dumb...
Bethany Faubel: Funder's right: being tough doesn't mean being damaged before you have a chance at senility. Otherwise, we would be calling all professional boxer/wrestlers not only tough but intelligent as well...
Sharlene, verbally
"Endurance is a series of small disasters, interspersed with larger disasters. The sport of endurance is your ability to solve and learn and prevent them. (and enjoy the process)"

AareneX on 2010 Goals:
"I will not be discouraged by setbacks in 2010, but will use them as training opportunities for successes in the future."

JB on Revelation 7"More then just bruised ego's are at stake in endurance, as the horses whole life and well being is on the line".